Hurricane Grace (Old)
Grace was the strongest, deadliest, and costliest tropical cyclone ever recorded. It formed in an otherwise inactive season, which only featured 9 other storms. Despite the unfavorable neutral conditions, Grace was able to find at least marginally favorable conditions for a very long time. This attributed to Grace's record intensity. This storm was also well organized and very stable, which allowed it to maintain intensity easier over land. This storm is known worldwide as the doomsday hurricane, due to its reign of terror over the united states, and many other regions. Meteorological History Formation & Early Life A very disorganized Tropical Wave exited the coast of Africa on August 28, 2045. Not expected to develop due to unfavorable wind shear, the wave was quickly torn apart. The remnants of the wave continued due west. Eventually, shear lessened around the system, and gave the wave a chance to reorganize. Convection blossomed over the wave, and a well-defined circulation became apparent on satellite imagery. Because of this, along with Dvorak estimates, Tropical Depression Nine was declared on September 5, 2045. Shear increased, and exposed the circulation. However, this would be short lived, as it would quickly close off again. A recon jet flew into the system on September 6, and found sustained winds of 45 mph. Tropical Storm Grace was declared that day. It was than expected to slowly intensify, reached a gradual peak of 60 mph before weakening. For a while, Grace followed this procedure, but moved further south than anticipated. As Grace moved west, it grazed the ABC Islands as a 60 mph Tropical Storm, causing some damage. Shear then increased again, weakening Grace to 45 mph. However, this shear would also be short lived. As Grace approached Venezuela, warm waters and low shear supported rapid intensification. Another recon jet found a ragged eye on September 10, and Grace was upgraded to an 80 mph hurricane. Anticipating a landfall, hurricane warnings were posted in Venezuela for the first time since Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Grace would pass just barely north of the country, but passed close enough to bring hurricane force winds to the northern part of Venezuela. Now in the open caribbean sea, with low shear and warm waters, Grace blew up. On September 12, Grace was upgraded to a major hurricane, the first of the season. Soon after, Grace attained its first peak, at 120 mph and 964 millibars. Grace then underwent an eyewall replacement cycle, where it briefly weakened to 115 mph. Despite shear was picking up again, Grace reached 135 mph just as it struck the Yucatan Peninsula, making Grace a category 4 hurricane. Grace's eye disappeared over the Peninsula, but weakening was very slight. On September 14, Grace entered the bay of Campeche as a 130 mph category 4 hurricane. Peak Intensity & First Landfall Conditions were exceptionally favorable in the Bay of Campeche when Grace entered, and Grace exploded. Grace was originally expected to peak at 155 mph and hit Texas, but shear lessened in the area, and as Grace moved slowly through, a recon jet indicated that Grace reached category 5 strength, with winds of 175 miles per hour. A very well defined, stable eye became visible on satellite. Grace's wind field expanded so much that it sheared nearby Hurricane Kevin in the East Pacific. Grace moved slowly in a general northward direction, and continued to intensify, and dropped below 900 millibars on September 17. Eventually, on September 18, Grace dropped below 870 millibars, and became the strongest tropical cyclone worldwide. Late that night, Grace attained peak intensity, with record winds of 230 mph and a pressure of 847 millibars. Grace began to weaken as shear increased in the area, and Grace's eye dissipated as it underwent a second eyewall replacement cycle. Grace began moving north quicker as a low established to the south. By now, Grace was already pummeling the Gulf Coast with 150 mph winds. Eventually, on September 20, Grace made landfall on Texas with winds of 190 mph. Texas was utterly devastated due to the impacts. Winds is surrounding states were also very high. Winds in Louisiana gusted to 150 mph, and Arizona and New Mexico felt gusts as high as 120 mph. Grace triggered the largest evacuation on record, causing over 1/10 of the entire population to evacuate to the north. Almost 500 of the fatalities from Grace were from cars being blown off the road from the already present winds. However, evacuating to the north would prove futile. Life in the North Despite the evacuations taking place, Grace simply followed. Grace's organization kept it together as it proceeded through the midwest. Grace could be considered to have taken part in the brown ocean effect, as it retained category 3 intensity over several inland states. Because of this, Grace left many states in ruin. Eventually, Grace entered Lake Michigan. It unexpectedly intensified to 115 mph, and brought strong winds to all surrounding areas, devastating Chicago, Detroit, and Toronto just to name a few. The waters around the eye cooled, and Grace weakened to 100 mph as it struck the Upper Peninsula. Grace then moved into Canada, as a 60 mph Tropical Storm, where it was expected to finally dissipate. However, there was little shear, and Grace went into the Hudson Bay, where it reorganized. It reached category 3 intensity and struck North Canada, a phenomenon that cannot be explained to this day. However, that area of Canada was sparsely populated, so impacts were light. Grace slowly moved through the country, maintaining its circulation. Eventually, on September 28, Grace entered the Bay of St. Lawrence, and struck Newfoundland as a Tropical Depression. Grace moved due south in the atlantic, and was expected to become extratropical. Regenaeration & Dissipation Despite highly unfavorable conditions, Grace maintained convection, and a visible enough center to remain tropical. Grace moved due south, and eventually began to curve east towards the Bahamas. Grace re-intensified into a Tropical Storm on October 1, and was expected to strike Florida as a TS. However, conditions became more favorable, and Grace underwent another period of rapid intensification, confirmed by the development of another pinhole eye, and re-intensified into a major hurricane. Grace narrowly avoided landfall in Haiti as it briefly weakened to a category 2. Grace attained category 4 intensity in the Bahamas. Florida Governor Rick Scott warned Floridians of the hurricane, as stated "Get out. This storm has already killed so many people in the United States. If you don't want to join them, leave now". Despite these warnings, Grace would take 24 lives in Florida. Grace retained category 4 intensity as it crossed Florida, causing damage on a very severe scale. It weakened as it roared across the eastern USA, and finally underwent extratropical transition. Grace became a huge extratropical system on October 6, but was tracked until October 8. The remnants of "Superstorm Grace" were last spotted near Iceland on October 11. Impacts Retirement The WMO retired the name Grace in 2046 due to the severe destruction, high fatality count, and widespread impacts. The name will be replaced with Gretel in 2051.Category:Category 5 hurricanes Category:Stronger than Hurricane Patricia Category:Stronger Than Hurricane Wilma Category:Deadly storms Category:Costly storms Category:Retired storms Category:Long-Lasting storms Category:DOOM!! Category:Once in a lifetime storm Category:VileMaster